Newsletter

Texas DPS observes success of AMBER Alert on anniversary

AUSTIN — Texas Department of Public Safety officials have joined law enforcement around the country in observing National AMBER Alert Awareness Day.

AMBER, which stands for "America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response," was created by Dallas-Fort Worth area law enforcement and media representatives in 1996. It followed the kidnapping and slaying of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman.

Monday was the 18th anniversary of the child's abduction.

Since then, every state has adopted the program in which law officers put out missing child alerts and the advisories are broadcast by the media. Gov. Rick Perry established the Texas AMBER Alert in 2002, complementing existing programs already in place.

From its inception, the Texas AMBER Alert program has been activated by DPS 109 times and helped recover 124 children.